Hunger Games: Tragedy
by Novarkek
Summary: What if Katniss knew or suspected Prim would be reaped? What if there was more to it than just bad odds? What if she knew how she really felt? What if she kept her father alive through her?


**Hunger Games: Tragedy**

**Summary: **What if Katniss knew or suspected Prim would be reaped? What if there was more to it than just bad odds? What if she knew how she really felt? What if she kept her father alive through her?

Romance and Tragedy.

* * *

XXXXX

The sun wasn't yet on the horizon but there was movements in one of the houses in the Seam as a girl gets up for her morning hunt.

As she looks across the bed from her she wonders how the years have passed so fast. It would be her sister, Prim's first reaping. She had forbidden her from taking the tesserae, there was only a single chit amongst the hundreds of others with her name in the bowl. Then why did she have a forbidding feeling.

As she kissed her mother's and her sister's forehead, smoothing down her hair, she couldn't help but be thankful for her presence in her life. Her sister's presence, that is. She has almost forgiven her mother, but from time to time the memories would come back and haunt her and she would feel the resentment dwell inside her heart.

Tucking them in more securely, she turned away towards the door, keeping her steps quiet. 20, the number of slips she had with her name in the bowl, she thought as she collected her game bag, her father's hunting jacket and moved towards the door.

But still her worry remained for her sister. She just had that forbidding feeling.

Moving towards the fence, she observed her surroundings. The Seam sure looked different when no-one was around. Ghostly. There are always miners for her company the other days, but it was the day of reaping. And so the mines would be closed.

After she had crossed the fence and taken her bow and quiver of arrows from their hiding place, she moved through the forest taking down squirrels, and a rabbit she found rooting around for food.

It was the same everyday. She had been doing it since she was 11, when her father along with others was killed in a mine explosion.

Turning back towards the fence with her game bag she stashed her weapons back in their hiding place. She checked on the snares on her way, keeping a lookout for the other hunter who was around.

Gale was the son of one of the other miners who had been trapped in the explosion. They had come across each other many times during their hunt. But she hadn't talked to him much, ever. Two years had passed since she first started hunting when he had approached her to teach him to shoot. She had given him one of her father's bow, helping him make the arrows to go along.

He was very vocal, when they did talk. She was polite. Listening politely to him rant against the Capitol, the injustice of reaping. She had always been quiet. Talking was Prim's job.

She had been grateful for Gale's company at first during her hunts. But then he started to give her the looks as they grew older. He was 2 years older than her, it would be his last reaping. She liked him as she would an older brother. But by the snatches she caught of him looking at her, she knew it was different for him.

That was when she started to be more alone on her hunts. Again. She didn't knew what he saw in her to have the feelings he thought he did for her. She didn't knew what he had thought when she had started spending less time with him, but she didn't want him to get any strange messages and so she worked alone most of the time.

Their mothers knew each other. Prim would be around the Hawthornes most of the days, but she didn't dare to get close to Gale.

It wasn't that he wasn't a nice guy. But she just thought he was too much like her. They had the same dark hair and grey eyes, all the people from Seam had. Their skills, though her archery was better, were the same. He had shown her how to make the snares properly. One thing her dad had died before he could teach her. They had the same resentment against Capitol. Though she wasn't vocal about it, but he was.

He seems to have gotten the hint though. He doesn't seem hung up on her at least. She had watched him sneak to the slag heap with different girls from the school.

Another reason would be, she knew her only friend Madge, the mayor's daughter had a crush on him. She had seen her subtle glances cast at Gale, whenever she thought no one was looking.

She didn't really feel anything like that for him.

Though ideally she was sure for everyone it would seem as they would be good together. They hunt together, sometimes. Their family knew each other well. But she just can't agree with others.

Maybe it was because someone else had already captured her attention first. But she wasn't sure that would have made a difference. If _he _hadn't come in her life before, that is. They were much too much similar.

_He_ was Peeta Mellark. She wasn't sure if Madge has ever caught her sneaking glances at the bread boy. Her boy with the bread. She likes to think about him as that. But she didn't ever got the courage to talk to him.

Not even to thank him.

If it wasn't for him, then she wasn't sure she would even be alive. But the debt she felt she owed to him had nothing to do with all the other things she felt towards him.

The bread he had thrown at her, the dandelion she had seen after breaking eye contact with him, the frosted cookie he would add on Prim's birthday to her bag, the cheese buns that would be there on her birthday, it was all those little big things.

She knew he had burned the bread purposely, so that he could give them to her. Well threw them at her. But semantics. She had seen what that witch of his mother had done to him for that. She remembered every single day he had come to the school with one bruise or the other. And she knew when they had stopped. She also knew why they had stopped. She had to help him somehow. Thank him somehow.

Even though she was sure he had thrown the bread because he was just that kind of a person, too kind to see anyone suffering, she needed to do something for him. Clear the debt. It didn't feel like much to her, she still owed him but she had felt the weight of the debt reduced after seeing his face clear of any bruises for the first time. And every time after that.

The way she had spread the rumours through Madge about the baker's wife hitting her children. Madge had done most of the work of course. She had been intrigued by her talking when she had always been quiet. That was the only time she was sure Madge knew or suspected about her feelings for the Baker boy. She had talked with her father, the mayor who had in turn asked around about it to the other merchants.

Before that it was as if everyone knew, but nobody cared. And so the abuse continued. But then when mayor started asking about it the witch had to tone it down. She was sure there were some bruises hidden by the clothes he would wear. But it stopped when the last straw was broken. He had come to school with a broken hand one day, he had said that it was the result of rough housing with his brothers but when again the rumours spread of his mother's cruelty it stopped.

Everyone knew the mayor was a kind man. Nobody could dispute that. Even the people in the Seam. He let the Hob be. He was one of the town who would trade with hunters like her and Gale.

Cray, the Head peacekeeper wasn't as strict because the deal he had with the mayor. She had learned that from Madge. He wasn't as ruthless as some of the other districts are said to have. Though his own dealings with the girls and women of Seam does add another factor.

Her father was friends with the mayor. Well, nobody really knew about that. But she knew. She had been there when they would talk as her father traded his hunt with him. Always someplace nobody would think about. She had met Madge for the first time there. They had been together at the school since then.

Madge loved the strawberries they would find. She hadn't been able to help her after her father's death. Neither the mayor. She knew the reason. And she didn't begrudge them that. The need to protect your family.

As a thank you for her help she had sent Gale with the strawberries to their door, a way for Madge to talk with him. She was too chicken shit like her to talk to him in the school.

Not that trading at the bakery helped her. She was always tongue tied when he was around. And scared. She knew his help was an innocent act. But she worried about anyone ever finding out. She was scared for him.

She would rather he never found about her feelings for him than face the prospect of something happening to him because of her.

She knew the world doesn't revolve around her. She should be nobody important to have that kind of a fear. As if anybody cared what happened to her and the people she associates with.

But she also knew the explosion that killed her father wasn't an accident. She also knew that Gale doesn't know.

She knew accidents occurred in the mines, but she also knew not everything was as it appeared.

She had been on tenterhooks when her first reaping day had come. Sure that she would be the one to be chosen. But it had come and gone. And then others after it. But now her sister's first reaping was here. And she was terrified.

Gale and the others in the Seam always think the townies are different than them. Arrogant, thinking themselves better. But while there are those like that, the others like her knew the reality of the situation.

The girls knew, that it was better to be called a slut as they disappear inside a merchant's house than to openly associate with them. Even if they did show their kindness it could be construed as something else. Something worse.

The Mellarks though had always been kind. It was common knowledge around the district. Except the sole lady in the house, of course. Their acts were never construed as anything other than what they did.

As she trudged towards the bakery with her game bag, she wondered again at the glimpses she had seen of the baker's youngest son. She had seen him glance at her sometimes. Their eyes would connect across the hall at the school, and she would see that look in his eyes.

She didn't knew what to think. With Gale it had been easy to decipher the emotions. But with Peeta, her own denial and fear worked in tandem to keep her confused.

Did he like her or was just looking out for her? What did the cookies and the bun mean? And did he knew how she would collect the different berries just for him, because she knew he was the one who frosted the cakes in the display. And she wanted him to use those she brought in his work.

As she reached the bakery she could see the bustle inside. The bakery did open early. Though they would keep it closed today for the reaping, they kept it open for an hour or so before and after the reaping.

She stepped inside the backdoor, and cue the awkwardness. There he was, working on a dough. He had stopped as soon as she stepped through.

"Hi" He cleared his throat.

"Hey." She nodded back looking around, anywhere but at him.

"Um, he is busy at the front." He said indicating at the door to the shop.

"Oh." She wondered if she should wait around outside but her thoughts were interrupted by him.

"Why don't you show me what you got?" he asked turning to her fully.

"Sure." She had sometimes traded with him before. And he would be with his dad, when she did the trade with him as well.

As she brought the squirrels out she thought about the times when Gale came with her and the way he would glare at Peeta, it would always seems as if it amused him and he would be extra polite with him if it was only the three of them. It would amuse her as well.

He handed the bag already ready behind the counter and she waved as she turned to go around.

"Katniss." It was the first time he called her name.

As she turned back around he continued nervously, "Good luck, today."

"You too." She whispered as she gave him a small smile, then she was out the door before he could say anything else.

She wished she could talk to him more, make him smile that smile she loved sometimes. But between her hesitance over her own feelings and her fear over the repercussions any more contact between them could have she could never act on her wish.

Anyway she didn't have the way with the words, as he did. And she couldn't muster the courage to unknot her tongue to even say a complete sentence to him.

She wasn't the one with a smile on her face anywhere she goes. Her face was more often than not twisted in a scowl, though she did try to make an effort to contort it in something resembling normal now and then.

Peeta could always bring a smile to her face, which she had to learn to supress, lest she give her feelings away.

Only one person made her smile and not try to hide it. And that was Prim. The one person in the world she loved more than anything. And would do anything for. She shared all her secrets with her. And though she wished that she had the skills with the bow like her and their father, she was thankful that she had their mother's skill in healing.

She had taken her with her to hunt a few times. Showing her how to set snares, collect the different kind of roots and berries found in the forest. And she in turn had helped her identify the various herbs. One talent she got from their father.

Though she never wanted to worry Prim about anything in life, she knew she couldn't be around always. She could be reaped. If she doesn't find a job in town, she would need to go the mines and she could die there. She needed her to be able to survive, live on her own. Though she would rather not think about it, in two years she would be out of reaping age and she won't ever be able to volunteer if Prim was selected. So she needed to prepare her for anything and everything. She needed to prepare Prim to live without her.

By the time she returned to her house, with a detour to Gale's to give some of the bread and the game to Hazelle, Gale nowhere to be found, Prim was ready in a dress she had worn during her first reaping.

She saw the little duck tail slipping out of her skirt and moved forward to tuck it in. "Hey, little duck."

"Quack." Prim chirped back, making her smile.

Her mother turned towards her from the stove, telling her she had drawn the bath for her.

After she was finished with the bath, having shaved her legs with the razor her mother left for her as well, she saw one of the few dresses her mother had brought with her from town. She turned to see her leaning in the doorway.

"Are you sure?" she whispered.

"Yes. Let me do your hair after." She replied back with a smile.

She nodded back. She hadn't yet forgiven her mother after the way she acted when their father died. But she knew how much her mother loved him and she knew how much he loved her back. She just wished she would have been there for not just her own but her husband's daughters as well.

It was a reminder of her husband, Katniss singing to Prim though that had finally brought her out of it. She had tried to keep her father alive in the memories and the songs she shared with Prim. And that seems to have done the trick for her mother as well.

They ate the breakfast silently. She had found a frosted cookie, a cheese bun and a cupcake in the bag she knew was heavier than usual. She wished she had thanked him for that. She had a lot of gratitude she never was able to express to him.

Her mother had been the one to set the broken hand, there had been the cupcake in the bag after that incident as well.

As the time for the reaping grew closer they went towards the town square with the others, all walking as if to their deaths. Well, it would be just two who would be dying.

They were separated at the town square. The parents at the end, outside the roped off area. The youngest ones at the back, with the older ones in front of them. She hugged Prim and went towards the section with her fellow 16 year olds. There were girls from the Seam around her. She could see Delly Cartwright a few ways down. She was Peeta's best friend. Madge was standing in front of her. She had glanced back to give her a reassuring smile. She wished she could return it. But her jaw was locked.

Finally, mayor Undersee, started the annual speech. It was known to most of the people here by heart. He shouldn't even need to look at the paper he is holding on the podium.

And there comes the drunk mentor of the district finally stumbling on stage. She knew his story as well. Not everyone did. Only a few. But she still held a very little sympathy for him.

Finally Effie Trinket starts the glorious ceremony with the ever present, "May the odds be ever in your favour."

"And now, ladies first." She trills. She hated her with her slightly off centre blonde wig, her ridiculous get up and make up, but what she really hated was the Capitol and the dark they kept their own people in. She can't be sure people could be so heartless to as to just ignore the pain of others. Can't she see the starved looks in the children eyes, who she was sending to their deaths. The desperation in the parents eyes. The agony in the onlookers.

She held her breath as Effie pulls out a slip after her dramatics. Trying to keep her calm.

"Primrose Everdeen."

"I Volunteer." She didn't miss a beat. The people around her, teenagers the same age as her made way as she walked calmly to her death.

She could hear Prim's wail. But she couldn't look back. She knew this would happen. She had been sure this would happen. She was sure people are wondering how she could be so calm and cool. A tear slipped from her eye threatening to break her façade, but she held herself together.

She wished she hadn't anticipated this. She wish she was blissfully ignorant of the danger she ever was in. But she knew it all.

She was sure Prim didn't even get to acknowledge she was chosen before she had signed her own death warrant for her instead.

She had reached the stage, escorted by the guards as her mind raced with thoughts.

"Wow. She must be your sister. Don't want her to have all the glory, huh?"

She ignored the voice. She didn't care enough to be angered by her. She sought out her sister in the crowd. Giving her a half smile when their eyes connect. She was held back by Madge and Delly as she sobbed in their arms.

"Give a huge round of applause for her."

Nobody responded to her. Then a man in the back raised three fingers to his lips and held out to her. It was a salute they performed during funerals. A sign of respect. She knew this people. They knew her. They knew her father.

And one by one all followed the gesture. Every single person.

She couldn't give any reaction though. She was breaking up inside. Before she could pull herself together Effie was moving towards the slips for male tributes.

"Peeta Mellark."

She tried to hide it. She tried to control herself. But another tear slipped past her dam. She sought him out in the crowd. Her eyes watching his shocked face make way through the others. He was soon surrounded by the guards escorting him to the stage.

And then he was on stage and Effie was telling them to shake hands.

Their eyes connected then, as their hands did. His overcoming the fear inside and filling with determination. Hers mirroring his actions.

For she was determined to save her boy with bread.

As they broke apart after he squeezed her hand and looked towards the crowd, their hands coming back together to entangle with each other, as the anthem began to play, as she watched people's reactions to their hands held between them -astonishment, understanding,- confusion being the most prominent she vowed to herself,

Come hell or high water she would save her boy with bread.

When they were ushered towards the building behind them, their hands breaking apart she kept her eyes on the ground.

She was led to a room more posh than she had ever seen in her life and waited. Waited for the final time she would see her family.

"Katniss." She firmed herself as Prim launched in her arms trying not to topple over.

She let her sob in her chest, as arms came around her and Prim. Their mother embracing them, tears flowing through her eyes.

"You keep going. Remember what I said." She whispered as she held them. Hugged them with all she had.

"Live. Take care of each other. Do not take tesserae." She instructed.

She ordered them more. To look after the goat, they had. How to stay afloat.

"Promise me you will try to comeback." Prim said.

She couldn't answer, and she knew Prim knows why.

"Please." Prim despaired.

"You could do it Katniss. You have the best chance."

"I will try, little duck. For you." She whispered back finally. Though if she couldn't get Peeta out then she wasn't sure she would ever want to.

She understood at the moment how her mother had felt.

"I forgive you." She whispered to her, looking her in the eyes.

The tears flowed from her mother's eyes as if she was saying a final goodbye. Maybe she was.

"You will take care of her. You won't go away again."

"I will. I won't."

And she could see the promise in her eyes.

"Remember what I said." She whispered to Prim one last time.

Their time was up then. She hugged them tightly as they were pulled through the door.

"I love you. I love you both."

She sat back on the couch as she tried to control her tears.

Then the door opened and Madge was there.

"You can take a token with you inside the arena. To represent your district. Will you wear this?" she put a pin with a Mockingjay on her hand.

"I will." She whispered looking up with understanding in her eyes.

They hugged each other and she whispered, "Tell him how you feel."

She saw her nod resolutely and then she was going out the door.

Gale was next. She hugged him, though she could count on one hand the times they had ever been affectionate like that.

"Take care of them, will you?"

"I will."

"Comeback Katniss. Try to comeback. You know your strengths. You could win this. Just try to comeback home."

She just smiled a sad smile as they separated, and he was ushered back to the door.

The next one, who would turn out to be the last visitor was Mr. Mellark, Peeta's dad.

He handed her a paper bag, which she knew must be filled with goods from the bakery. She never knew he gave tributes such treats.

"Good luck there, Katniss." Was the only thing he had to say.

She hugged him for the first time. As thanks for the parting gift, the good luck though he knows she would face against his son and for all the time he was there. A kind presence in her life. Also for Peeta. He wouldn't be the person he was without his father.

The hour ended and they were led to a car waiting to take them to the station. She climbed inside behind Peeta, looking out the tinted windows. The town slipping past them.

She felt his fingers touch hers tentatively and she wrapped her hand with his.

She spent so much time trying to find the courage to talk to him, try to beat down her fear and as it turned out facing death was the solution to that problem.

They kept their hands glued together as they were led on the train, Effie trilling ahead of them. Showing them their compartments. As if with mutual understanding they parted their hands and turned towards their rooms.

She looked around the lavish space and blanked her mind. She would rather not think anything than condemn the luxury given to them.

She turned towards the bathroom. Finding out the shower. After fiddling with the buttons she was able to have a hot shower. And indulged herself for a long time.

When she entered the room, she searched through the clothes for something comfortable then put the pin on her shirt, finally ready for dinner.

She saw Peeta seating in the dining room, waiting for others and took a seat beside him.

They would need to talk. Though what they would talk about remains a mystery. Well, how they would talk about what needed to be talked about remains a mystery.

Effie finally came around, but Haymitch wasn't anywhere to be found. For the best, she thought.

They were presented with dishes that smelled too appetizing to care about anything else. But still she held herself back. Eating slowly and precisely. Even if she was led to her slaughter and this could be one of the few last full meals, gluttony would only bring agony. Even if she felt like she could eat all of it and then some.

Peeta was eating slowly beside her as well. Why did it felt like he was following her lead? What was she going to say to him? Why did she behave the way she did? The truth would set you free they say. She supposed it would. She would have to wait to find out for herself.

After dinner they went in yet another compartment to watch the recap of the reaping from the other districts.

She paid attention as the tributes from the career districts volunteered, as the tributes from other were chosen. 74th hunger games, how did it ever came to this. She couldn't ever understand.

She also couldn't understand how she came to seat so closely with her fellow tribute. After the mandatory viewing which there mentor ignored was done with Effie disappeared to her room she would hazard a guess, but she and he remained glued to the seat.

"You know I liked you since we were 5."

"I started when we were 11."

"It was that song you sang in front of everyone. The valley song."

"Well, you knew it was the bread. That brought you to my attention. You didn't need to do anything else to hold it for so long. Just being you was enough."

She let her head rest on his shoulder as he pulled her closer to him with his arm, enveloping it around her shoulders.

"Rue seems similar to Prim, doesn't she?" He whispered.

"Yes." She whispered back.

"Why were you so calm when you volunteered, Katniss? You weren't surprised when they said her name."

She held her breath. She wanted to tell him everything. She would rather he didn't go into this blind. But she couldn't afford to be overhead by anyone.

"Come on." She took him by the hand and led him towards her room. The door closed behind them just as they heard someone clutter around.

She led him to the bathroom opening the taps all around. Sufficiently satisfied that they won't be overheard she led him to sit leaning back against the tub then told him how she remembered her father, what he used to talk about with some people. How she knew he was an important figure in the rebellion if not the outright the leader of it. Who all were involved in it. What she knew about the mayor, his dad, some of the merchants of town. The people in the Hob.

"I wasn't supposed to remember all this. My mother didn't even knew half of it. She knew some of the things but not all of them. My knowledge isn't as much as it should be."

"Accidents happen all the time in the mines, Katniss." He whispered, the first thing he said after he heard her.

"I know." She whispered back with a bitter smile.

"She had one slip, Peeta. One."

"How many did you have?"

"20?"

"10."

"But I thought you only had 5."

"There were bad times sometimes. You knew them."

She thought she did. When he would appear in the school looking tired, with dark circles under his eyes. His broad shoulders weighed down by some invisible burden.

She would trade all her squirrels with them then. Gave them her rabbit, one time.

"Did your brothers?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't he…" she didn't need to finish.

"We promised each other we never would. I know they are older than me. But we had always felt as if we were all triplets. The three musketeers we called ourselves. I made them promise not to ever volunteer for me. They did enough for me."

Saved him from their mother for one.

"I made Rye promise to go after his sweetheart." He said with a smile.

"Yeah, I ordered Madge to pursue hers."

"I believe you Katniss." He finally said with a sigh.

Before she could tell him thanks he told her why he believed her.

He was more perceptive than she gave him credit for. He too had realised from a young age that there was more to trades their fathers did than anyone thought.

He knew that there was something more to the explosion that took her father with the others.

"I wasn't supposed to hear, but the mayor was talking with Dad. About his inability to help you all. Not just you but the others as well." He whispered.

They finally decided to get back to the room. Closing all the taps she waved him ahead of her and saw him sitting with his back against the wall at the head.

"I always thought that one time, Mom was more angry because she knew why I had done it, rather than for the burnt bread. She wasn't always like that you know. Once upon a time she cared. At least I thought she did."

She moved to seat beside him resuming her position from back at the couch.

"What's your favourite colour?" he asked.

And thus started their little game.

"Green. The colour of forest." Then she waved at him as if to say, go on.

"Orange. The colour of sunset." She smiled as she imagined it.

"Favourite food?"

"I am leaning towards the lamb stew we ate here."

"My chocolate chip cookies." He bragged.

"Favourite person?"

"Prim obviously. You come a close second."

"Yeah, I don't mind. I can't beat Prim. She's a sweetheart. You are my person. Though Rye does come a very distant second."

"Who is his sweetheart?"

"Delly."

"Delly Cartwright?"

"The one and the same."

"And Madge?"

"Gale."

"Your hunting partner?"

"Yeah. If you could call it that. Though he did save me from one or two snags in the woods."

"Then I am indebted to him as well."

"Why couldn't have I talked to you sooner?"

"I wished I could have gathered the courage as well."

"We are a pair, aren't we?"

"At least we got now."

"Yes. We have now."

They talked some more, then again as if by mutual decision laid down to sleep.

X

In the morning they were both awake early enough to avoid getting caught together by anyone. He kissed her forehead before he turned towards the door and went back to his room.

She had just smiled back sleepily at him.

After she had showered again, she donned the clothes she wore yesterday, keeping the pin attached at the forefront.

Peeta had again beaten her to the table.

"Hey." She whispered as she sat beside him.

"Hey." He tugged her free hand towards him, keeping them together on his knee under the table.

"Taste that." He indicated a cup filled to brink with a dark liquid.

"It's hot chocolate." He said with a smile at her astonished expression. She gulped it down to the bottom and got it refilled again. Then followed his lead as he tore his roll to dip it inside the cup.

"I never would have thought." She trailed off as she took a bite of the dipped roll.

Effie was there again. Either showing her perplexed expression for the way they were behaving or because she was surprised again to see them at the table before she even told them to.

"Good morning." Katniss said politely as she dipped another piece of roll in the cup.

"Well, good morning dear. My, such manners you both have." There was no other way to say it, she trilled everything.

And there comes the drunkard. She had told Peeta what she knew about him and his games last night. He had a lot more sympathy for Haymitch than she did.

As he added some alcohol to his cup of coffee and took a sip, the tributes finished their own plates.

"So, you are our mentor, got any advice for us?" Katniss spoke sarcastically. He was the one mentor amongst all districts with zero success so far in his career.

"I got advice for you sweetheart, stay alive." He laughed.

Peeta was the first to react. He tossed the cup Haymitch was reaching for on the ground.

"Doesn't seem funny to me." He said calmly.

Haymitch reached forward to backhand him, but Peeta caught the hand surprisingly quick.

Katniss wasn't surprised to see the knife in her hand, ready to backup Peeta.

"What? Have I really got fighters this year?"

"Can you do anything with that knife sweetheart?"

Though she would rather stick it in his heart, she let it fly and watch it wedge firmly in between two boards in the wall.

"And you, how did you stop me?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." Peeta replied mirthlessly.

Haymitch narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything. He just watched them more.

"Okay. Stand up, you two."

They grudgingly obliged and stood still in the free space. Their hands still connected.

He poked and prodded, circling around them.

"Well, you do have enough mass on you and muscles. Attractive enough. You will do as your prep team says, without any complaints." He ordered.

They nodded back stiffly.

"Now, what's that story." He indicated towards their joint hands.

They looked at each other, Katniss nodding at his questioning look.

"She's my girlfriend." He said as if it was most natural thing in the world. Like it wasn't true that they hadn't ever talked before yesterday.

"Oh my god." Effie squealed behind them.

"Oh, you poor dears." she didn't seem to know to be happy for them or sad.

"Is that so?" Haymitch frowned, looking at them dubiously.

"Anything else?" Peeta asked, with an eyebrow raised.

"No. Go on. I need to think." He replied turning his back on them.

They went towards the front of the train, where they could see through the glass covering the walls instead of the wood panels in other compartments.

He took a window seat his back facing the wall, pulling her to seat between his knees.

"You don't mind, do you?" he whispered in her ear.

"No." she answered simply. To his question of telling Haymitch what he did and the way they were seating.

"Your Mom is not going to be happy." She said wryly.

"Well, I don't care what she thinks, do I now?" he said shrugging.

"At least Rye will be happy I finally scored myself my dream girl." He laughed.

"Hmm. Prim would be too, I guess. If she wasn't worried I won't comeback to her."

"But you will." He said firmly.

"Oh, will I?"

"Yes."

"We will see."

"Katniss," he didn't know what he was going to say except, how could she even think of not going back.

"Not now, Peeta."

They passed the time in peace, in no mood to talk anymore. Soon though they have entered the tunnel leading them towards the heart of Capitol.

He held her tightly as he felt her stiffen on entering the tunnel.

Soon they could see the people outside the train and they were just as excited to see them, thought Katniss sarcastically.

"Smile and wave, sweetheart. Smile and wave." He said holding her hand.

She followed his lead, but leaned towards his ear.

"Call me sweetheart again, and you won't have a tongue to ever say anything else."

He just laughed pulling her to him, holding her at his side.

They never let go of each other as they got out of the trains and towards the platform, to the car waiting for them.

They finally let go of each other when they were at the training centre nodding at the other in reassurance.

After she had the worst make over of her life, and she knew Prim and Madge so that was saying something, she was left alone, naked in the room waiting for who knew what.

The answer came in the form of a man, who looked almost normal by the Capitol standard. "I'm Cinna. I will be your stylist."

She hadn't ever seen him around before, so she guessed he was new.

"Yes, I am new." He read her mind.

"And they gave you the worst off district."

"No I asked for it."

She was instantly alert at that, but was careful not to show it.

He could really mean it innocently.

"You can wear the robe." He said as he finished the inspection.

She pulled it over and looked back at him.

"Tell me how do you feel about fire?" Cinna smiled.

"What?" she asked flummoxed.

X

Her outfit was the most different than others. And if what Cinna said was true, then it would be even more of a standout. She spied Peeta coming closer to where waited for him near the horses.

"You look beautiful." He said taking her hand.

"And you handsome." She replied, squeezing his hand.

Cinna and Portia, were watching the interaction as if they were a puzzle.

But the time for the parade was upon them, before they could react more.

"Alright, keep holding your hands." Cinna said as he ushered them on the carriage, then lit a torch to lit their attire on fire.

"Well, we would be going in a blaze of glory, if burn to crisp, won't we?"

"I will tear of your cape, if you do mine?"

"Deal."

But the fire didn't burn them, instead it made them look spectacular.

They got the best response from the audience.

And they milked it for all its worth. Waving and smiling. Katniss even blew kisses towards the people. When she caught a rose thrown at her she smelled it and supressing her grimace she tucked it in Peeta's lapel.

He brought her hand up to kiss the back of it then they raised it in the air, kept at it until they came to a standstill outside Snow's palace.

They were getting most if not almost all of the footage as the president finished his speech. And the anthem began.

After the anthem as the they returned to training centre they could still hear the audience screaming themselves hoarse saying their names.

The other tributes were already glaring daggers at them but they ignored it as Cinna and Portia extinguished the flames.

"You certainly impressed them." Portia said wryly.

"All thanks to you." Katniss said with a smile to them both.

They led the way to the elevator and were silent as they reached their floor.

"Well you both certainly made an impact, didn't ya?" Haymitch looked more and more suspiciously towards them.

"All because of our stylists efforts." Peeta replied shrugging.

"Sure, it was that." Haymitch snorted.

The tributes went towards their rooms to get out of their dresses and then back to the main room, where everyone was waiting for them at the table.

As they started the dinner, Katniss was stuck with the odd sense that she had seen one of servers before. But she dared not say anything about it. Deciding to ask about them to Cinna later. She would rather trust him than Haymitch.

The others chitchatted idly during dinner. Finally after they finished they went towards the couches and chairs in front of the screen in the lounge to see the days recap.

"Okay, seriously what is going on with you two?" Haymitch asked frustrated after the recap was done with.

"Didn't we say it already? He's my boyfriend, I am his girlfriend." Katniss hissed back.

"Yeah. And yet nobody in the district knew about that?" Haymitch asked narrowing his eyes.

"What do you know about what goes on there? As if you are around…"

"What business is it of yours?" Peeta cut of Katniss, keeping a calm tone opposite to that of her.

"Well, what are you going to do when you are in the arena?" He retorted sarcastically.

"Your job is to ensure we are prepared to survive in there. What we do in the arena is our business."

"Is this a ploy to get more sponsors?"

"Even if it is, what's wrong with that?" Katniss asked exasperated, rolling her eyes.

"Well, well, well. Think you have the smarts to pull it off?" Haymitch snorted.

"We aren't pretending anything." Katniss exclaimed frustrated.

"You are the only one to doubt us." Peeta added.

"I would be careful if I were you." Haymitch said with a warning look in his eyes.

"We will talk strategy tomorrow morning at breakfast." He added then headed of towards his room.

The others who had watched the exchange silently disappeared after assuring them they didn't doubt the tributes.

Left alone Peeta pulled her towards the hallway, but spying a staircase at the end of it they followed it up to a roof.

The noises at the bottom reached them. Revellers enjoying the hunger games.

They secluded themselves in an alcove in the garden they found and just listened to wind and the wind chimes over the sounds from the Capitol.

"We can't really see any stars here." He sighed, looking at the dark sky.

"Hmm. Wished we had gone to the meadow once together. You have been there haven't you?"

"Yes."

"Would you have taken me further as well?"

"Yes. Showed you the blue lake. The green valley. The emerald forest."

"And?" he kissed her neck.

"And the chirping birds. The darting squirrels. The wild foxes."

"And?" he trailed the kisses to the other side.

"Maybe even a wolf. Or a wolf cub." She said tilting her head to give him more access.

"Peeta." She sighed.

He gave her a last kiss, then straightened up to look back at the sky.

"Who do we save?"

"Rue."

"Yeah, she reminds you of Prim, doesn't she?"

"And if not her?"

"Thresh?" he said with a smile.

"He doesn't need saving."

"They both don't. She's strong, Kat."

"You think so Peet?"

"Kat is really better than Peet you know. And my brothers call me Peet."

"Well, Prim calls me Kat."

"Well, then I got to try better, don't I?"

"You do that."

X

The next day after Peeta sneaked back to his room they joined together again to go to breakfast.

Like every other time they were the earliest to arrive.

They were quiet as they ate their breakfast, only speaking to request another cup of hot chocolate.

Haymitch came behind Effie and they turned their attention towards him.

After he had his fill, he finally turned his attention towards them.

"Well, since we have established that you are 'together'. That will be our strategy this time. Be subtle. Don't flaunt it yet. Wait for the right time. The right moment. For now though show the untied front you had been showing up until now. It works."

He prattled more asking them about their strengths and telling them to hide it.

They nodded along, though had it been any different they would have done what they had been doing still. They knew what they had to do after all.

Decided it the night of the reaping.

"We could do subtle." Peeta said later as they were traveling back to the training area by the elevator.

"Yes, those cookies and cheese buns were as subtle as a freight train."

"And those berries were the height of subtlety." He retorted.

They smiled at each other as they stepped out of the elevator. Looking around the room to see some of the others waiting already.

At 10 sharp the head instructor there introduced herself and told them how it would all go.

Peeta and Katniss wandered to various stations, trying out new things. When Peeta got stuck at the berries she helped him through it and he helped her identify the various herbs.

"How do you know more about them? My mother's a healer and I don't know that much."

"I cook with some and I like to experiment in the bakery."

"You knew most berries too, didn't you?"

"I had you for a teacher for so long."

Their subtlety was working. The instructor at the stations they passed looked excited by their interactions.

They continued the same way for the three training days. Acquired Rue as their shadow. But they stayed away from the others. And the others ignored them as well. Except for the occasional glare directed their way.

The day for the private training session was upon them and they worked out a way to attract the judges attention. And keep it at them. They would need any or every help they could use.

Peeta nodded at her as he left for his session. And she waited until he was done. When they called for her she took a deep breath and let it out. Show time, she thought.

The bow wasn't the one she was used to. She would need time to acclimate, which she didn't have. First impressions after all are all that matters. So, she decided to make it interesting by using the tricks her father taught her.

How to use more arrows together at same time, though not useful for hunt it would be used during war periods. The opposite of the usual 'two birds with one shot.'

She loaded three arrows together and held her breath. It should be more difficult to do what she was doing than using one arrow, but three arrows bring a slight error in the aim, and makes it perfect for her to hide her inexperience in handling the bow. Because this error won't matter.

And as she let go of her breath and the arrows, she was right. The applause ringing from her audience certainly added credibility to it. One of the arrows was lodged in the head, the other in the heart and the last in the crotch of the three dummies, she had aimed at. Didn't matter to them that the one in head wasn't dead centre, it was through the eye, an ideal place to shoot to kill though, as penetrating the skull is tough, or she was aiming for the centre, not the heart, the lungs. And the leg, to make her rival helpless without a limb.

The end result was to her liking though and so she continued her show. Firing off towards the circles across the room they had reserved for shooting. Aim and Fire.

At the end of her demonstration she took a haughty bow before them and left as she was dismissed. She thought of doing something more dramatic as shooting in the crowd of her spectators but thought better of it. Though what would be more dramatic than to shoot in someone's crotch.

She knew Peeta had asked for an assistance to show off his wrestling skills and hoped he was as appreciated as she was.

"How did it go?" she asked Peeta the first thing as she got off the elevator. Taking his hand.

"They didn't showed any reactions. So I am not sure." He shrugged.

"They applauded for me. Were they mocking me then?" she pouted.

He raised an eyebrow at her reply.

"We would find out later." He said tugging her towards his room. They completely ignored the other occupants of the room. Who by then were used to their attitude. Haymitch just shook his head while Effie huffed at their manners.

"So many do you fight with?"

"4."

"At the same time?"

"Yup."

She just smiled sharply to herself at his reply.

"At least the instructors looked astonished, if nothing else."

At dinner time they were there again together, smiling politely at Cinna and Portia.

They had been giving Haymitch the cold shoulder because of his doubt about them and Effie too had questioned what they would do in the arena so she had been included in that treatment.

After dinner as the scores were announced they watched impassively waiting for theirs. The careers had collected high scores amongst themselves with Cato and Clove getting 10, the highest. But as it turned out Peeta got 11 and Katniss as well.

They high fived each other, when their scores were announced.

"What did you do?" Haymitch asked curiously. There hadn't been such scores for a long time. And not from district 12 ever, they were sure.

"Showed them our skills to kill people, what else?" Katniss replied flippantly.

Haymitch just gave a frustrated huff.

The next day they would be coached for the interview they would give the day after. And so Haymitch and Effie separated them, Peeta remaining behind with Haymitch as Effie pulled her towards her room.

They went quietly, without any arguments.

While Effie coached her how to sit, stand and walk properly, Haymitch declared that she was as charming as a dead slug. When he went away to refill his flask, she decided their time was up and went up to the roof to clear her head.

She would need to come up with something herself if she wanted to keep the advantage that she had gotten with her marks and the reception from the first night.

She discussed her failure with Peeta, that night who suggested she just be herself. Not helping at all for her.

The next day though Cinna turned out to be helpful suggesting she talk as if to a friend, him, when she gets up on the stage.

And so that's what she did. She smiled imagining Prim in front of her. And she answered Caesar Flickerman, while looking at Cinna who was seated in the centre of the audience.

She answered his question as honestly as possible. And twirled as Cinna indicated for her to do.

Her twirling though resulted in Caesar unable to ask the question he most wanted to. She was sure the audience were waiting for him to get there as well. Her relationship with Peeta or at least the way they were when together.

But she was sure Peeta had something or other up his sleeve to blow them away.

He was the best amongst the tributes. Charming, friendly and lovely looking, he had the audience eating out of his palm.

Finally came the question.

"So, a handsome guy like you. You must have a sweetheart waiting home for you?"

"Well," he said hesitating, "there is someone."

"Tell us about her."

"I had been in love with her since I was 5." He said sheepishly.

"Oh my god. Go on, we want to know more."

The audience was excited.

A blush had started to creep up her face as if they both had staged the whole thing. Her reactions on the spot.

"But she isn't waiting for me at home. I don't think I would be going home with her." Peeta deflected.

"What do you mean? You mean to say you wouldn't be going home to her?" Caesar corrected him, though she was sure he had caught on to the real meaning of the words.

"No, I meant what I said. There could only be one victor. And if I won, I won't be going back with her. But I can't let her die. So, no I won't be going home with her."

With that the buzzer goes off, tears are flowing down her cheeks as she looks down. Perfecting their story. The audience wailing and screaming at the tragedy of the star-crossed lovers.

She took his hand as he comes to her, after Caesar shook his hand and let him off the stage. Leaning her head on his shoulder as they turned their back on the audience. They could see them walk behind the stage and then they disappeared from their sight.

"Well done you two." Cinna was the first to comment.

"Yes, that went pretty well. The sponsors would be lining up for both of you."

"Yes, you both did good. And with just that hint of rebellion." Haymitch had donned the warning tone again.

But they knew what they were doing. Nobody in the games fought for someone else. The careers allied together but then turned on each other at end. Peeta declaring his love for her meant he would be fighting for her to stay alive till the end.

They didn't know their real plan yet though. They wouldn't be fighting for each other but someone else entirely.

Like the last few nights, they spent that night together as well, as if saying a final goodbye. Though they made productive plans as well to team up when they entered the arena. How to find each other if they got separated.

Cinna was there to take her away the next morning. As she waited with him below the arena, she thought about her life till then and wondered what would happen to the people she had left behind as she rebelled in the games.

When the people would finally realise they both would be fighting for someone else entirely.

Rue did remind them of Prim. And she would do anything for her. Kill if she had to. Others and herself.

As she stood inside the tube which would lead to the arena, she was determined. Determined to die in the games, determined to save Rue.

Her eyes fought the intrusion of light as she was finally deposited in the arena.

She adjusted her eyes to the light and looked around her surroundings. Taking in the forest at her back. The lake at the side. The cornucopia in her front. And Peeta on her other side. Their eyes met determined and they nodded to each other. She saw the bow and arrows in front of her. But they were too far for her. Bloodbath would be Peeta's strength not hers. She looked back at Peeta. Indicating her weapon to him. He nodded back then looked towards the forest at her back. She nodded to indicate she understood.

As the last 10 seconds started she took a breath and set her eyes on the two packs near enough for her. One, a sheet and the other an orange pack but there were no weapons with them.

At the gong indicating the start of game she took off fast towards the sheet, not even slowing down as she scooped it on her way to the pack. Then turned towards the woods to get away from the bloodbath already started. On instinct she pulled the pack high on her head and felt something lodge in it.

After entering the woods she slowed down and started a slow jog to put some distance between her and the cornucopia. All the while leaving small signs for Peeta to follow her. She didn't think anyone else would understand them but still hesitated and left some false trails as well. Finally she stopped a while to check up on the supplies inside the bag.

The knife lodged into it she had pulled off to keep as a weapon at her belt.

As she was wrapping up her findings she heard a sound to her left. She was alert with the knife in her hand, but it was a rabbit who just jumped out of a bush. She let the knife go and was satisfied to have her meal ready for the night.

But then she pivoted around at another noise at her back.

She smiled at him, as Peeta came from behind a tree. Launching into his arms.

"Hey." She said after they broke apart. But then she saw the cut on his forehead and upper arm.

"Yeah. That was for your bow." He said nodding towards his arm and then the bow and quiver of arrows which had slipped through his hand at their feet.

"And that was from that bitch from second." He pointed to his head.

"Clove?"

"Don't care for the name of a career." He rolled his eyes.

She smirked back, with a shake of her head.

"Well at least I got the knife as well." He flipped the knife in one of his hand, coated with some of his blood still, perfectly.

"Let's keep moving shall we?" Katniss suggested giving the bag to him and picking up the bow and arrows.

"Yes, Ma'am." He replied tucking the knife at his belt where another was hanging with a lot more blood on.

"Better wipe them off." She nodded to them.

And so they continued through the jungle, their first priority to find water.

"How come you have such a silent gait?" she wondered aloud as they sat to rest and eat the berries she had collected before. They both knew she was silent because she had been hunting since she was a child.

"Necessity is the mother of invention."

"Well, silent gait isn't a new invention Peeta." She scoffed.

"Yeah, well it was a necessity though. If I wanted to avoid the wrath of my mother."

"Sneaking past her isn't easy enough." He added at her raised brow.

"And where do you sneak off to?" she asked nonchalantly.

"The pantry, to steal something for our hunger. I was chosen each time and because of that I learned to keep my steps silent."

"They always thought…" she trailed off. She knew though the merchants were well off than the people from Seam, hunger in district 12 wasn't limited to just Seam. But the people in Seam didn't ever think that.

"Yeah. They think like that don't they." He whispered back.

"Yes, they do." She emphasized the they, cause she never did think that way.

He just smiled at her.

They continued after they were done. Still searching for water. At end of the day they still didn't had it. And so searched for a tree with sturdy enough branches to sit them both.

After they had settled for the night, with some difficulty for Peeta while climbing it, they watched the night fall around them and then the sky lit up with the faces of the fallen tribute.

"She's alive." Katniss whispered with hope. They knew she was smart enough to get away from the bloodbath but still worried she would be dead before they could even do anything to help.

"Yeah." He whispered back, looking conflicted with himself after he had seen the face of the boy from district 4.

"Did you?" Katniss needn't continue for him to understand her.

"Yes." He brushed his fingers over the wound on his arm.

They were pulled away from their thoughts on seeing smoke rise from the trees some distance from them.

"Well, let's settle the score then shall we?" she said as she shifted to get up.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Get ready to get away. The careers must be on their way."

He nodded and trailed after her as they got down from the tree.

He leaned back against the trunk and watched her go towards the fire.

He knew he should feel guilty for what they were doing. Actively hunting someone else. That's what the careers did. But if they want to turn the game in their favour they needed to become the hunters. And stealing a kill from the careers was one of the way they would.

Her steps were silent as always as she approached the flickering fire. The figure huddled near it she recognised as the girl from eight. One of the poor districts. But she couldn't waver in her determination. There was only one victor.

She took aim and fired. Straight through the heart. The figure toppled sideways as the cannon fired. Dead in a heartbeat, she thought sarcastically as she rushed towards the fire wrenching her arrow back and also taking the pack the girl had leaning against her.

Then she took off back towards Peeta, and they ran away from the area. They could hear the noise the careers were making no doubt wondering about the canon fire.

Both there steps were silent as they rushed through the trees in the direction opposite to the noise and the smoke of fire they could still see.

After running for hours and deeming themselves safe enough they scaled another tree and took turns sleeping while the other kept guard.

They didn't hear the careers coming towards them though. And at dawn they left the tree to search for water as a new day began.

"Think Haymitch is so heartless as to leave us dying of thirst?" Peeta said, his throat dry. It was only the second day. But between their long walk and the hot weather it was getting very hard to ignore the thirst in their throat and the dry tongue, it was getting harder for her to breath as well.

"Well, I am not sure. But there must be some reason he won't send us some water."

They both knew they had have enough sponsors to afford it. And save some for any emergency later.

The thought that the water must be near enough crossed their mind as their eyes connected. And so they started to search with renewed vigour. Finally when she felt she was going to collapse, Katniss saw mud.

Peeta caught on quick enough when she pointed towards it, looking around slowly for its source. They finally reached a small pond, when he thought he could do no more but crawl.

They took their time letting the water purify, then sipped it slowly. After filling the bottles they had they dug around for the roots Katniss said they could eat.

It was nearing dusk when they finally decided to get themselves situated for the night.

After finding another tree, they again took turns sleeping through the night.

There hadn't been a death throughout the day Peeta thought and was sure that was the reason for the smoke he was smelling.

It came out of nowhere. But he had had enough of a head start to wake Katniss up and they were running behind the animals they could see stampeding through the trees. While he dashed over the low hanging branches and boulders they come across, Katniss was faster and could dodge around them.

They kept their hands connected in fear of getting separated. Only letting go when she needed to dodge around something.

But when the fireballs started falling from the sky as if aimed specifically at them they let go of each other and ran erratically. Doing everything possible to avoid them.

But they couldn't keep going at the same speed, the smoke they had inhaled was making it hard to breathe. Their arms and legs were scrapped from running through the bushes and trees. And the last straw turned to be a fireball catching Katniss leg on fire as she dodged another boulder in her way.

He scooped her up, while she was still patting her burning leg and rolling it around, finally putting it out.

They had reached the lake near the cornucopia she realised by the time the fire disappeared. Just as abrupt as it had appeared.

"We should put some water over it." Peeta whispered.

The careers could be around them, at that very moment. But they were sure the fire must have affected them as well. They had heard them hunting around the forest and knew they could have been caught in it as well. If nothing else the smoke everyone inhaled would keep them occupied for a while.

He tended to her wound, while she tried to ignore the burn.

"Best let it cool, I guess." He was a baker and she was a Healer's daughter they both knew how to treat burns.

"That went well." He snickered as he submerged his own hand in the water after he was done. He had burned himself with the fire that was on her pants when he scooped her up.

"Enough excitement for now do you think?" Katniss quirked her brow.

"Yeah, the careers would do the rest, I guess." He replied looking at the far side of the lake. They were prevented from discovery by the large boulders in the way. But they couldn't stay for long. The careers would soon start to go after those weak from the fire, which included them.

They left before the sun rose with the third day.

Keeping their steps silent. Katniss hunted down the still frightened rabbits to take her mind off of the burn in her leg. Peeta skinning them while they rested to give her leg reprieve from the walking.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she saw him skin the pelt of the rabbit a little rustically, but carefully.

"Could come useful, during the cold nights." He shrugged. As he stored it in the backpack along with the meat he had broken down.

Why didn't it ever entered her mind she didn't know. But she was thankful for his smarts. Though that small a pelt wasn't going to cover much. She wished she hadn't discarded her previous kills so easily.

Next she watched him break the bones he had collected in little shards.

"Are you thinking what I think you are thinking?"

"If you are thinking that I'm thinking if we got the chance we could add the shards in their meal, then yes you are right."

She decided he was scary smart. There were too many ways to kill someone. And he was coming up with unique ways to help them.

"We would of course need to sneak in their camp. Which is impossible in itself. And then find something suitable enough to add in it. A sharp enough shard could give them discomfort at least if not injure them."

After he had put everything away they were in their way again. Trying to find another water source, they couldn't go back to the lake. And the pond was too far to travel back there.

They finally came across a stream and decided it would do. They sipped their remaining water refilling their bottles. Then they scaled yet another tree for the night, deciding to call it in early.

That night they watched the face of the cripple from district 10 on the sky.

"11." She whispered.

"Hmm." He hummed back.

They followed their nightly routine. One kept guard, while the other slept.

Though when they heard the careers stomping through woods near enough to hear, they both remained awake after Peeta's last shift.

It was dawn of the next day, the fourth day and they were putting their plan in motion.

They had gathered enough from the noises to know that the careers had spilt up to surround them from two sides. So the careers knew their general location or maybe the exact one but they in turn also knew about the ones hunting them. They hadn't caught them both off guard.

And it worked in their advantage, instead of the careers.

Katniss moved from branch to branch as she targeted the back of the girl from 4, while Peeta followed on foot at some distance. Glimmer was with the girl. Katniss was sure if she kept the aim at her she would be spotted, so she kept it at the other girl. And so they followed the girls progress keeping alert for the others. The other three of the group were too far to realise they had been played as Peeta slit the girl from four's throat at the same time as Katniss let her arrow fly. It struck Glimmer in the throat and as Peeta tugged it out her sounds of gurgling were muffled by the twin shots of the canon one after the other.

He collected their supplies, knew they had only precious few minutes. As Katniss dropped to the ground to collect their weapons and searched the other bag. Peeta was already putting the shards inside the food he found in one of the pack. An open pack of beef jerky. Just like they had. It wouldn't be too farfetched to find some in one. And if they figured it out then they did. Leaving the supplies haphazardly as if they were unable to look through them, leaving everything inside the bag as is and taking the other they ran.

They could hear the others voices no doubt calling out for their allies. But they concentrated enough to know they weren't being followed while they ran like hell.

They knew they were making some noise due to their speed but the noise from animals running from the hovercraft covered their escape. Finally, after running for few hours they took shelter on a tree. Getting their strength back. Katniss still had that burn from the fire and was spent after the run they had.

They didn't hear the careers who had no doubt decided to regroup after they saw two of their own dead by other's hands. Instead of running after them. To come up with a better plan. The death of the girl from 8 could be coincidence. It could have been written off as a happenstance.

But by killing two of the careers, now they were sure they had realised they couldn't just ignore their strength and smarts.

They ate the food they had liberated from the pack they just got. Made sense of the stock they had and then settled in for another night in the arena.

When the pictures of the two dead tributes disappeared in the night, Katniss whispered again as if she was conducting a count down.

"9."

And Peeta hummed back in answer.

It was as if they were counting down to their own death.

X

The fifth day dawned bright and sunny, and they were already on their way to the stream to refill their bottles. Halfway through the day they realised they were being followed and not by the careers but someone else.

That someone turned out to be Rue, hiding in the trees far above them. They decided to ignore her. They were doing what they did to help her win. And Katniss was sure if she had seen them kill the others, she wouldn't trust them to help her.

"Tell me one of your favourite memories." Peeta said as they sat eating the fish Katniss had caught in the stream.

They had smoked the meat they had with them during dusk after the day of fire to keep anyone from realising it was them and were waiting for dusk again to smoke the newly acquired meat. That left them to eat the fish raw and the berries they found around the stream.

Katniss's lips quirked as she thought about the time when she brought the goat named Lady by Prim and she regaled to him all the glorious details of it.

After she was finished, still sporting that slight smile he whispered,

"She's really a sweetheart, isn't she?"

"Hard not to love." Katniss agreed.

"I never did thanked you for the cookies she got from you."

"But she did." He smirked back.

"What?"

"I guess she had the guts we didn't had to talk to each other. Or well maybe she didn't have any reason to be tongue-tied when she approached me."

He told her, how Prim sought him out one day in school after the lessons were over and thanked him for the cookies he gave her through Katniss.

"Well, I'll be damned." Katniss said proudly.

"Yeah, she didn't stutter at all when she thanked me." He said teasingly, putting an inflection on the she.

"I never stutter." Katniss stated abruptly.

"Who said anything about you?" he faked confusion.

"It was one time. And what about you? At least I don't drop things when I get nervous."

"Ha. It was just a mistake. An accident."

They both knew the banter really wasn't for their entertainment but for their benefit. It could bring Rue closer to them, make her trust them. And it will bring them sponsors.

Though everything they did say was the truth.

She had stuttered when she had came at a wrong time at the bakery last year. Peeta had opened the door to get outside at same time she was going to push it open, bringing her hand on his firm chest, she had dropped it to her side as if burned and then stuttered through the apology while Peeta had dropped the package he was carrying in his arms on his foot in his surprise.

They laughed together genuinely as they remembered the memory from the past year. How flustered they had been at the time.

"Think we ever would have talked if we got through to 18."

"Maybe." Katniss replied.

"No."

"No?"

"The answer would be hell yes, if I had any say in the matter. And I did. I am one half of the pair after all."

Katniss just laughed back.

"Would have mustered enough courage by then?" she teased.

"Yup."

She kissed him on the nose unthinking, then blushed at her action. But she was rewarded for her efforts by a parachute floating down at her.

As she sat perplexed, Peeta brought her out of her stupor as he opened the container to find burn medicine inside.

He applied it carefully to her leg as she watched his face, trying to ignore the work he did on her leg.

She studied his eyelashes, so long that they brushed his cheeks when he blinked and closed his eyes. The colour of his eyes, so blue like the Robin's egg she saw once in the forest. Like the sky at times. Then the blue-green river sometimes.

Like the dark twilight as they were now staring in her eyes.

She moved forward, feeling him come closer as well and brushed her lips against his. Once, twice. Three times. And then he had his arms around her. Wrapped tightly around her torso, as if she would run away. As if she ever could turn away from him.

They kissed for a long time, breaking apart to breath, but back at it a second later.

"Wow." They were her first words after they broke apart for the last time.

Her heart was racing still, her face flushed and she was sure her eyes bright enough to shine.

He mirrored her reactions down to a T.

"Wow, indeed." He smirked as he gave her another kiss, but kept it chaste. She just slapped his arm to stop him smirking.

They would have sat there talking and kissing for longer but it was nearly dusk. So they gathered their things, smoked the meat they had, careful to keep the smoke contained, then went in search of another tree. Their shadow still following them.

After they had settled for the night in a tree safe distance away from the spot they smoked the meat and the stream from where they fished, a cannon went off unexpectedly.

They sat perplexed and silent. They hadn't heard the pack through the trees and wondered if they had been too distracted to focus on their surroundings.

Peeta wrapped his arms around her, a silent promise. It would be alright. Just because they were a little distracted they hadn't ignored their surroundings, but it would still be a lesson to learn from.

After the anthem they watched the face of the boy from 3 appear in the sky.

"You think…" Katniss trailed off in her thoughts.

Did the careers killed the boy or did Peeta's trick really worked?

"He wouldn't choke to death, would he?" Peeta voiced what she was thinking aloud.

"I don't know. I don't know why they even kept him alive."

They had seen the boy with the careers at their camp. Well, she had seen them while perched high on a tree, hidden from their sight. The day they had ventured to the lake.

She was as perplexed then. But then her mind blanked when the information sink in.

"8." She whispered looking back at him.

And he hummed again. Brushing his nose with her, in an Eskimo kiss.

They settled in. Their routine still strong. She slept as he kept watch. Both on her and their unexpected but expected shadow.

X

It was the sixth day and they were up again before the sun. And were planning to bring the fight to the careers. First by taking their supplies out.

It was nearing the end they knew. And they needed to be proactive, they had realised. Lest the game makers decided to make it fun for them. And so as they collected berries and shrubs from around them, near the stream they worked out how to render the pack helpless. There were three of the careers left, then fox-face as Katniss calls the girl from 5, Rue and Thresh, and them both.

They couldn't fight the careers head on, they knew they weren't that good. And so they needed to start by cutting off their supplies first. By what Katniss had been able to glean from her short observation they kept the supplies bunched together away from their camp. They didn't knew if they had set it as trap for someone stupid enough to walk there carefree. But the placement doesn't belie that idea. Instead it adds credit to it. And so they were going to check it out.

But there lies their difficulty. They couldn't think of a way to do so discreetly. Their old spot wasn't safe and they, rather Peeta didn't want Katniss to risk it.

The solution came in the form of their shadow. It's funny how they think of her like that when she is perched high above them out of reach of their weapons. Obscured enough to not let Katniss get a shot off.

"We wouldn't hurt you, I promise." Katniss said with smile, she reserved for Prim. But Rue didn't budge. They had finally decided to fake spotting her in order to talk with her. Deciding to find out if she knew anything about the remaining pack of careers.

They couldn't part with their weapons just to assure her safety though, Peeta wondered as they looked at each other to think of what to say.

She really was smart not to trust them. They had killed two people from career district and another one between them.

"Do you want some burn medicine? We received some from our mentor." Katniss coaxed her softly. She was probably not moving from her spot so as not to give her a clear shot, if she decided to shoot.

"You remind me of my sister Prim, you know. I really won't hurt you. Neither of us would."

"How about this? I would toss the container to you. So I won't have a bow in my hand and Peeta really isn't good with a knife."

He was, but Rue probably didn't need to know that.

Finally she saw an eye peek from behind the leaves.

"There you are. See I am only holding the container. Catch it." And she threw it, Rue catching it perfectly in her small hands. Peeta and Katniss smiled at each other at their success.

They watched her lather it on her arm, her stance relaxing a little. By the time they coaxed her to a lower branch with the promise of some meat she had thawed towards them more. And answered the questions they had a little stilted but honestly.

They were sure the audience they had would think them despicable to take advantage of the trust of such a small, innocent girl. But they would realise in the end that they weren't going to break that trust.

With the information she provided along with the directions she gave to a hidden spot she had found to spy on them, they worked out a plan to destroy the careers supply.

Rue declared she would help them as well and thus their small truce was formed. As the sun set down bringing the closure of another day. They kept walking back towards the stream. There they would rest, then early in the morning separate to their destinations. Katniss towards the cornucopia, Peeta back towards the pond they had found and Rue the forest towards the field.

They would meet back at a cave they had found near the stream they decided.

X

It was pitch dark as they set out for the day on the seventh. Peeta and Katniss were feeling their body thrum with the need to act. Their kiss was long and must have given the audience quite a show, when they departed.

All heading in their chosen direction, all ready and eager to do their assigned jobs.

Katniss followed the directions Rue gave her and arrived at the copse from where she could see the camp clearly. And still remained hidden from them. She waited with bated breath for the first of fire to go on. The smoke of which would hopefully alure the pack towards the wood.

And there it goes. By midday there attention was caught by the smoke in the woods. But looked wary to go towards it. Finally after bickering for she didn't knew how long, losing precious minutes, they decided to go after it.

And left the camp unchecked. Now she knew they couldn't be stupid enough to that. So there must be something protecting the goods. Did they ally with the girl with 5?

But no there she was, playing quite an odd game to reach the stocked supplies. Peeta had reminded her that district 3 item of trade was for tech. Technology, ammunition and other such things.

She observed fox-face as she followed the same dance back towards the wood. After she was gone she moved through the trees, looking at the ground near the supply.

It was hard to see, but she could get from her suspicions, that they had dug out the explosives from near the launch pads and used them to protect their supplies.

Well, that made it easy for her she thought. If she was able to detonate them all, then…

She searched around for a way to do just that. She could see the second smoke rising now in the distance and she was sure the pack wasn't dumb enough to not guess it for the trap it was, then. Praying for both Rue and Peeta's safety, she finally took aim at a sack of apples hanging on a side.

She let it go and caught a tear appear in the net sack. That wouldn't be enough. Taking another deep breath, she let another arrow fly.

The tear expanded. She let a final arrow fly and got blown back for her efforts.

She had done it. As soon as the first apple fell through the sack, followed by others the ground exploded all around the supplies. The detonations taking the goods with it.

She crawled back at her hiding space after getting her senses back. Heard them run back towards the camp. They needed to work on that. Gave themselves away too easily.

After she was feeling less disoriented she started the long trek back towards the stream. Whistling the tune they had worked out to let the other know they were alright. After the Mockingjays had stopped singing her tune back, she heard Peeta's. Relief flowed through her veins. But as she waited for Rue's tune it never came. She heard her screams instead.

"Katniss. Peeta."

She ran like her life was on line. And it was. If anything happened to Rue, she didn't know what they would do.

She heard a canon go off and ran faster.

'No please, not her.'

'Oh my god. Not Peeta.' She prayed to some higher entity she had read about. Hoping against hope they wouldn't ignore her.

Rue's screams had already cut off. But she ran still, ignoring the branches whipping against her legs, her arms. Getting tripped in the roots because of her haste.

Finally, she arrived to a scene from her worst nightmare. Peeta was clutching Rue in his arms, blood on his hands.

"No." she whispered.

Peeta jerked his face towards her, his eyes holding back tears.

"It's okay." She heard him whisper.

She finally took the scene in its entirety.

Marvel laid a few feet from her, a wound at his throat as if someone stabbed him through it. A spear lying at his side.

Rue was caught up in a net. Sobbing in Peeta's arms.

She finally let the breath she had been holding leave as she realised none of them was injured.

Scratch that thought, her head said as she watched Peeta wince, as Rue clutched his side.

"Peeta?"

"I'm fine, Katniss. We better get out of here though." He finally separated himself from Rue. Getting them away from the net.

She saw his side slashed through, from what she was sure was the tip of the bloodied spear. She moved towards Marvel, taking the spear and his pack. Then followed to where Peeta was leading a very shaken Rue.

They stopped after sometime. And she got busy cleaning the wound Peeta had. It wasn't deep. The spear wasn't driven deep enough inside, she thought. And counted their lucky stars that it didn't.

She trusted Peeta's skills but she knew anything could happen in the hunger games. Her and Peeta, going toe to toe with careers was proof of that.

They got up again. Deciding unanimously and silently to put distance between that spot and them, as much as possible.

Finally, after a stop at the stream to refill their bottles and with some fishes fished by Katniss, they climbed a tree together. Setting themselves in a network of branches. Sturdy enough to hold them all. Rue and Katniss settling on the upper, lighter branches that couldn't hold Peeta.

After she was sure Rue was sound asleep and won't fall off in her sleep she moved down to Peeta. Sitting with her back to his chest. And feeling safe as he enclosed them in his arms, pulling his knees closer.

"I was so scared." She whispered. She didn't knew what she would have done if either of them died.

"It happened so fast."

And he explained how he like her had ran towards Rue when she didn't gave her signal. And reached there to see Marvel poised to strike, waiting for Rue's ally. He had a split second advantage as it seemed Marvel hadn't expected them both. And so he had concentrated on the noise she was making as she ran towards Rue, and not on Peeta, who came from behind him.

But his instincts were good and he turned the second Peeta entered the clearing behind him. He had a split second to dodge, already ready for the spear but it still grazed his side as he brought the knife home in his throat.

Then he ran towards Rue to shush her, lest she brought someone uninvited to them. And got her out of the net.

"I can't loose you. Not like that." She whispered finally. Tears streaming down her face.

"You won't. We will think of something." He whispered back.

And he was sure, if their audience did pick up on their conversation they wouldn't know what to think of it.

His side itched and ached, but he ignored it.

"You destroyed their supplies?"

"Yes." She sighed. Explaining how they had guarded it.

"Well, that was brilliant. If it weren't for that little flaw."

"Yes."

"7" she whispered when the face of Marvel appeared on the screen in the sky.

This time he just sighed. A tired sigh. It had been too long a day.

She sighed, fingering her left ear. She had lost her hearing from it. And she was sure it would work to their disadvantage as they go on.

Peeta placed a kiss on it. Then another on her neck. And told her to sleep. Taking up his night watch.

Thus the seventh day ended with injuries for them both, which they both hoped won't prove to be fatal for them.

They would die on their own terms and nobody else's.

X

It was eight day. The careers had lost their supplies. There were 7 people still alive. Of these, only fox-face, the girl from district 5 didn't have her partner tribute alive. Three tribute pairs, that is both the tributes from district 2, 11 and 12 were alive. A record in the history of game, she was sure.

They were collecting berries again as their supply had run short. She was with Rue, neither her and Peeta wanted to be out of sight of the other, but she couldn't leave Rue alone either and split up they collected more. So, she calmed herself and her heart, keeping faith in Peeta's abilities.

So, it was logical for her heart to drop, when she heard yet another unexpected cannon go off.

Repeating to herself that Peeta was alright, she took off after the place she had last seen him. But her heart only settled back in its place when she heard his whistle, being delivered by the Mockingjays. Whistling back her short note, she made sure Rue was still following her as they went back the way they came.

There lying near the berries collected by Peeta on a tore of piece of cloth was fox-face. She couldn't believe her eyes. Peeta crouched beside her relieving her of her pack.

"What happened?" she whispered moving towards them.

"Apparently the berries were poisonous, I guess." He said looking significantly at her.

She turned to the berries and she knew he knew they were poisonous. She had told him as much at the station where they had studied the different berries. Some he knew because of her others through the market.

And others still she had told him about. Like the nightlock that lay innocently on the cloth.

"I didn't recognise them immediately. So thought I would ask you about them. But she wasn't privy to my thoughts, now was she?" he muttered as she crouched beside him.

He searched through the pack, after emptying it of any important contents he laid it over the dead girls body. And moved away collecting the berries with him as well.

"Could come in useful again, don't you think?" he said with a grimace as he kept them separate from their other food items.

"Think they would let me have this kill?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. You didn't purposefully leave it behind and you didn't knew what they even were." Katniss pointed out.

"True." Peeta replied. Munching on the berries that were deemed safe by both Rue and Katniss. Though Rue had been too quiet since the incident last day.

"What's our score?" he wondered.

"Boy and girl from 4 for you, then Marvel. And the boy from 3. So 4 in total. And Glimmer, the girl from 8 and… I got only two kills."

"Hmm. And if they had asked anyone in the district they would have pegged you as the more ruthless amongst us both. Not that I think that."

"Well, it is true. I would kill for the people I love. I guess I proved it. And you too. You are the more emotional one, Peeta."

"Hmm. But they had me pegged as the soft-hearted one, didn't they? What did Cato called me that night? Lover boy, right?"

"Well, you are my boy with love." She fluttered her eyelashes as she said it. He looked at her strangely, then blurted out,

"Never again, Katniss. It does not suit you. At all." He said shaking his head. She just snickered. And all that time their companion remained silent. Though they could see her smile occasionally from the corner of their eye.

That night as the eight day ended they watched fox-face appear on the night sky and then disappear in the ether.

"6"

She whispered.

But Peeta didn't get to reply. Rue was already asleep but they heard Claudius Templesmith announcing a change in rules.

Tributes from the same district would be the victors if they are the last one standing.

Katniss and Peeta communicated silently and nodded in resolution at each other.

X

They watched over Rue as she slept soundly through the night, keeping turns taking guard then left her safe in the tree promising to come back as they trekked towards the lake.

They had told her about the announcement, she had looked excited at it. But she had gone quiet again after her initial reaction. They were sure she was imagining them turning on her. But they had promised they wouldn't hurt her. And they would never break it. Though she would be breaking her promise to Prim, that she try to come back home.

It was the ninth day. And he was tired of it all. He was sure she was as well.

"It would have been better if she could have helped." Katniss whispered.

"Or Thresh." He shrugged.

"Yeah, but I won't ask her to help killing them. And why would Thresh trust us not to turn on him after we are done with them. He probably thinks we are abusing Rue's trust."

"If he even knows she's with us."

They knew them both didn't have much time left. After they finished off the careers they would saying goodbye to the world as well.

But their chances against the tributes from 2 weren't high. Her leg was bugging her something awful and she knew Peeta's cuts were troubling him greatly as well. Finally after a long day of trek they reached the lake. From where Katniss led him towards the copse from where they could spy on the careers.

But they weren't where they had expected them to be. They had been sure they hadn't entered the forest in the night, at least nowhere near them and so they could be there now or the only other place would be the fields stretching on the other side of the cornucopia. They waited all day for the pair to come back. Cursing over the feelings Rue must be going through, for their seeming abandonment of her.

The tributes from 2 never came in the clearing and so the pair dragged their ass back to the forest. Rue was long gone from her spot and they hopped she remained safe wherever she was. After having their drink of the water from lake they had collected before they wondered around collecting food to keep them going for another day.

They worried the game makers would unleash something on them, if they didn't hurry and complete their task. They had prepared their family as best as they could and knew they would be able to take care of themselves after they were gone. She because she had suspected she would be chosen sometime and Peeta because he knew the chance that it could be him were likely. He always did have a forbidding feeling before something happened.

But still Katniss worried. Worried how Prim would take seeing her sister kill in the games. Others and then herself. Worried she would resent her. Worried the people in 12 resent them. They were denying them the chance for a full belly for once. The victor's district did get food packages all year round. But everyone in district 12 rejected handouts and so to win just so they could eat, while keeping their pride and then again get rejected by them for the tributes they killed in the game, yeah no thanks she thought.

X

It was the 10th day and Katniss was sure Peeta and her were both getting feverish. Their injuries were left unattended for too long.

They had decided to go towards the fields to hunt Cato and Clove down. The forest was giving Katniss the creeps and she hadn't ever felt like that in her life. Not about the forests back home. Never.

But trusting their judgement and instinct and hoping Rue was safe in the trees they trudged towards the far side of cornucopia. The quiet of the arena making them paranoid.

A canon sounded right as they entered the fields.

"No," Katniss whispered looking back towards the forest.

"It's not her." Peeta whispered looking off to the side in the fields.

Thresh was huge, but he either didn't have the skills needed to fight, which was ridiculous thought. Or was injured from something as he was unable to overcome the attacks from the district 2 tribute, Cato.

"It was Clove." Peeta whispered running towards the fighting pair.

Katniss too ran after him. Her bow ready in her hand. But she couldn't get a neat shot and so she watched Peeta come at Cato from behind using his knife. But Cato had enough strength to fight them both off.

No doubt due to the gifts he could afford through his sponsors. She wondered why Haymitch couldn't have sent them something instead of letting them forage for food.

Peeta and Thresh finally gained upper hand over Cato, holding him down. Thresh got the distinction of killing Cato. Making his kill count 2 as far as Katniss knew.

But as she looked on, Thresh toppled over on his side.

"What? What's wrong with him?" she ran forward to his side. Falling on her knees beside him.

That was the first time she saw the knife lodged in his back and knew it was Clove's handiwork. It was buried deep to the hilt.

He was bleeding too profusely from the cuts on his torso and the knife, they won't be able to save him even if they swallowed the berries right there and then.

She looked up at Peeta seeing the same desolation in his eyes.

By the time she turned her eyes back down, Thresh has breathed his last.

"Didn't think he would give them a fight, did they?" he wondered as he stood up looking at the carnage around them.

They left it behind feeling a million years old as the trudged to the cornucopia.

"Now?" he whispered.

"Wished I could have seen her a last time." Katniss replied in the same voice.

Peeta nodded back, digging through his pack for the berries.

It was a beautiful time of day. They could see the sunset in the field. They held hands sitting at the mouth of the cornucopia taking the scene in.

The serenity of the moment was shattered by the screams that chilled them to bone. There was Rue running towards them through the trees. And behind her were the dogs from hell, she had thought were upon her when she ran towards Rue and Peeta before. She let one after another arrow fly. Each launching in the head of the beasts, killing them instantly. But they kept coming through the woods.

All 21 to be exact. Including the ones she has killed. She was scooped up and tossed in the air towards the roof of the cornucopia as she stopped for a second seeing there were no beasts yet nipping at the heels of Rue.

She held on to its side pulling herself up and catching on to Rue as Peeta tossed her up as soon as she came close.

He climbed on after them lying on his back as if all his strength had been sucked out.

"We need the…" he couldn't complete his sentence as he caught his breath.

His wound had opened up, when he tossed them. She looked around frantically for the pack.

But it was where they had left it at mouth of the cornucopia thinking all was over. And they could die peacefully.

She really would rather not die getting torn to shreds by those mutts.

They circled around the cornucopia. Trying to scale the sides but unable to as they couldn't find any purchase on it with there claws.

She had only 10 arrows left with her and there were still 15 beasts circling around.

She calmed her mind and heart and took aim, trying to kill two beasts with one arrow.

She let the first one fly. It lodged in one's brain but the other one had already moved away. They were yipping at each other almost like they are communicating, she thought.

"Katniss." Peeta whispered.

She abandoned her task for the moment and looked back.

Peeta had pulled himself together. And was beside Rue, her hand clutched in his. She was curled on her side.

"What's wrong with her?" Even as she asked, she let out an involuntary sob. Their were gashes in her side. Three long claw marks, marked the left side of her torso.

"We need to save her." She whispered brokenly.

She scooted back towards them and brought her head in her lap.

"It hurts." She whimpered.

"I know, sweetheart." She moved her fingers softly through her hair. Hoping it brought her some respite.

"I will cover you, we need those berries." She said determined. Even as she continued the repetitive motions of her hand.

One hand clutching his, the other still in her hair.

"Okay. Let's go."

"No. Please, don't leave me."

"It's okay sweetheart. We would be right back." She got up, cradling her head carefully as she put it on the roof. Then followed Peeta, who had to tug his hand from the tight grip of her hand. Her bow ready she let them fly again as he descended the roof at the mouth, the knife in one hand already swishing at the mutts near him, and getting them in the throats as he swished.

As soon as he got the pack he turned his back on them, climbing the walls with his last strength.

They ignored the mutts after that and turned to Rue. Katniss cradled her head back in her lap, even as Peeta ignored his pains brought one hand to held Rue's and searched through the bag for the other.

X

"You are going to be okay? Alright? And you are going to live. Live for your family back home. And the friends you told us about. You will live for us."

"And I know it would take time, but be happy."

"You will, won't you?"

Peeta had brought the berries out of the pack by that time.

"No, what are you doing?" Rue whispered as she lifted her head, looking quizzically at the berries.

"It was the plan for us all along, kiddo. We can't live without each other. But we won't kill an innocent like you as well. I am sure they would just change the rules again if we let you die. Not that we would…"

"Katniss." Peeta smiled through his pain. Her smile, the one she loved the most.

"Love you." He said as he kissed her one last time.

"Love you, too" she replied simply.

"Promise to be happy. Someday." Katniss whispered kissing Rue's forehead.

"Take care of yourself, kiddo." Peeta said as he too kissed her forehead. Then shared the berries with Katniss.

"To your good health." Peeta cheered.

"And may the odds be ever in your favour." Katniss said as they both took the berries in their mouth.

Two canons rang out as Rue screamed herself hoarse. Begging them not to leave her. Their hands clutched at each others. Together even in death.

The sounds from the mutts had stopped some time before and the only company for her grief was the darkness surrounding her.

She had made a ball of herself as she hid from everything around her.

The announcement about her winning the 74th hunger games didn't bring her anything. No joy and no relief. Even as she watched the ladder roll down to take her away. To treat her injuries to keep her alive. As she wondered what they would say about her being the youngest person to win, ever. Without killing anyone. She couldn't feel anything.

She wasn't sure she would be able to keep the unspoken promise she gave to the idiot lovers, who had made her feel like family.

X

**the end.**


End file.
